Global South-South exchanges on biofuels growing rapidly
The Global South has learned to use its combined power to gain weight on the international stage. Recently, this strength became apparent during the WTO negations that were intended to forge a trade deal beneficial to the developing world (the so-called 'Doha round'), but that failed over US/EU agricultural subsidies. The global south successfully resisted the proposals they deemed to be against their interests.
Whenever the wealthiest nations convene for a 'G8'-top in some luxurious palace, the alternative 'G20', uniting the South, convenes a few months later. Whenever there is a 'World Economic Forum' ("Davos") where leaders from the industrialized world gather to think top-down about how to increase their power, the alternative 'World Social Forum' ("Porto Allegre") convenes shortly afterwards. Clearly, the global south knows that when it comes to trade, international politics or global policy, unity brings power.
But what about the more concrete, practical form of cooperation between countries of the developing world? We have often hinted at the fact that South-South transfers of technology and knowledge are a great way forward for them, because scientific, technological, cultural and 'epistemological' independence from the West are important for strategic and historic reasons. It seems like the biofuels and bioenergy sector is a field par excellence to build such pragmatic relations. And indeed, South-South exchanges are growing rapidly in the sector.
Senegal just launched the first phase of its biofuels program with direct support of Brazil's president Lula, and carried out by entrepreneurs from India. Senegal wants to learn and offers land and labor; Brazil brings in scientific and technological know-how; and Indian business makes sure that enough capital is in place. This public-private partnership is hailed as a win-win situation for all partners involved.
The first major investment consists of a plantation of jatropha varieties, symbolically situated near the holy city of Touba, on land owned by the Khalif-general of the Mourides, who welcomes the foreign partners. The extraction of oil and the production of biodiesel will be done in nearby Khelcom, some 100km inland from Dakar.
Jatropha was chosen as the main energy crop for several reasons:
Under the first phase of the project, Senegal wants to reduce its oil imports by 10%, thus saving a considerable amount of foreign exchange. The final goal is to replace all 33,000 barrels of oil the country consumes each day, by renewable biofuels.
biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: sustainability :: south-south :: Brazil :: India :: Senegal ::
Whenever the wealthiest nations convene for a 'G8'-top in some luxurious palace, the alternative 'G20', uniting the South, convenes a few months later. Whenever there is a 'World Economic Forum' ("Davos") where leaders from the industrialized world gather to think top-down about how to increase their power, the alternative 'World Social Forum' ("Porto Allegre") convenes shortly afterwards. Clearly, the global south knows that when it comes to trade, international politics or global policy, unity brings power.
But what about the more concrete, practical form of cooperation between countries of the developing world? We have often hinted at the fact that South-South transfers of technology and knowledge are a great way forward for them, because scientific, technological, cultural and 'epistemological' independence from the West are important for strategic and historic reasons. It seems like the biofuels and bioenergy sector is a field par excellence to build such pragmatic relations. And indeed, South-South exchanges are growing rapidly in the sector.
Senegal just launched the first phase of its biofuels program with direct support of Brazil's president Lula, and carried out by entrepreneurs from India. Senegal wants to learn and offers land and labor; Brazil brings in scientific and technological know-how; and Indian business makes sure that enough capital is in place. This public-private partnership is hailed as a win-win situation for all partners involved.
The first major investment consists of a plantation of jatropha varieties, symbolically situated near the holy city of Touba, on land owned by the Khalif-general of the Mourides, who welcomes the foreign partners. The extraction of oil and the production of biodiesel will be done in nearby Khelcom, some 100km inland from Dakar.
Jatropha was chosen as the main energy crop for several reasons:
- Senegalese people -- including the Khalif -- are familiar with it because they use it as protective hedges around their fields (Jatropha seeds are poisonous and fend off grazing animals)
- The crop thrives in the semi-arid regions of Senegal, and is relatively undemanding when it comes to fertilizer and water requirements
- Plantations can be established very rapidly, from seedlings that grow to productive crops after two years
- Both Indian, Brazilian and local varieties can be tested, with the three partners sharing knowledge about the species
Under the first phase of the project, Senegal wants to reduce its oil imports by 10%, thus saving a considerable amount of foreign exchange. The final goal is to replace all 33,000 barrels of oil the country consumes each day, by renewable biofuels.
biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: sustainability :: south-south :: Brazil :: India :: Senegal ::
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